Thursday, May 10, 2018

Monday, May 7, 2018

I've had a few days of "playing cards", as I like to think of my creative outbursts! We are housesitting in a lovely little country town for a month, looking after and enjoying the company of 2 elderly dogs and a gorgeous smoochy happy gray cat. The home even has a sewing room 😊! How lucky can one get? I've got my sewing machine out, and my bag of fabric scraps, and am as happy as can be! Here are a few new creations.

Thursday, April 19, 2018

I made this quiet book for Ruby's first birthday, using mostly scraps of fabric and felt, ribbon, buttons, iron-on appliques, etc. There are lots of "hidden" bits/lift up/sliding. It was such fun to make but took ages 😊! A real labour of love ❤

Thursday, April 5, 2018

When we were travelling in Namibia and Botswana last year I just HAD to stop at the outdoor markets that we saw in some of the towns we passed through, and get myself a few of the beautiful fabrics sold there. I have previously used them to mak cushion covers and tablecloths, but wanted a medium sized casual bag this time. Here's the finished product, which I'm really pleased with. The pattern is a free download called a Hobo Reversible Bag on verypurpleperson.com It's a reversible pattern but I just lined mine with a black shirt from a thrift shop. Easy and fab!

Sunday, April 1, 2018

As we have "no fixed abode", as the saying goes 😃, and are using this year to travel around New Zealand housesitting for people's homes and pets while they are away, and while we decide where we want to settle permanently, I've brought along my trusty old 47 year old Elna sewing machine and bag of fabric scraps, and will use this time to build up my card stash in the hope of selling them at markets in the future, as I've done previously. Housesitting is a wonderful way of spending time with dogs, cats and other animals while we can't have any of our own. At the moment we're on a little farm in a cosy house taking care of a delightful Labrador, a 3 legged ginger cat, and a few calves. We're loving the walks on the farm with the dog and the green hills dotted with sheep all around us, wonderful fresh country air and blue skies. Anyway, some pics . . .

Friday, March 2, 2018

Yes, it's been a long time since I posted here, but we've been travelling and also house and pet sitting for the past 7 months so our lives have been rather nomadic. We are now back in New Zealand and although we'll be housesitting in various places (mostly farms), I have my trusty old sewing machine with me and will continue to make applique and free motion cards to give away or sell at markets when the opportunity arises.

This is a new card I made to send to my 102 year old motherinlaw in Canada, depicting the beautiful coastline near to where we are currently house and dog sitting on the Coromandel Peninsula, not far from Auckland.

Thursday, June 1, 2017

I've been distracted from card making recently, concentrating on knitting winter woollies for my grandchildren,and sewing dolls clothes for a baby doll we've got for our 2 and a half year old granddaughter for next Christmas. Yes, I know it's only the 1st of June today, but we'll soon be off travelling for a few months so I need to be "Christmas-prepared" well in advance!

However, I have made a few commissions that turned out happily! I enjoyed making these cards, the 2 surfer girls set at Mangawhai beach, for 2 sisters whose Mum gave me the colours of their surfboards and their hair.

The other card was for a special 11 year old's birthday, set at the wharf at Port Albert, where they live and where he goes fishing with his older brother and their labrador. As with a lot of the cards I sell, these will be put into frames.

I love these challenges and the creative process involved to get them "just right". And yes, it takes ages, and no, I don't charge nearly enough, but the fun of choosing the right fabric or textile scrap and colour combination is payment enough for me. It may not feed my belly but it certainly feeds my soul!

About Me

I sew, craft, make cards, stamp, make jewelry, knit, travel when we can, and currently housesit throughout New Zealand, looking after other people's homes and pets. Housesitting is a wonderful adventure, meeting new people and animals and exploring our beautiful country.